1. Field of the Invention
The subject application relates generally to a surgical apparatus for cutting and coagulating tissue using electric current and a blade.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Endoscopic surgery, also known as minimally invasive surgery, is a method of surgery designed to minimize discomfort to the patient. This is done by reducing the required size of the opening needed to access the body's internal organs to a small hole. The results are, typically: fewer traumas, less pain, faster recovery time and a shorter, if at all, length of hospitalization. The advantages are in reduced complications, reduced mortality rate and considerable savings to the patient and insurers.
Endoscopic accessing of the internal cavities of the body is usually done by using a cannula and trocar. The skin, fat, and muscle tissues are punctured by a surgical blade or a sharp trocar. Penetrating the body cavity with a trocar that is accompanied by a cannula, establishes a temporary inlet or a working channel. Removing the trocar and leaving the cannula inside the body allows the insertion of a scope, camera, forceps and other accessories into the bodily cavity to perform the surgical procedure.
Endoscopic procedures involve a majority of grasping, cauterizing and dissecting or shearing steps, to detach tendons, muscles and blood vessels. Sealing the cut or dissected portion is essential to avoid bleeding. This is currently achieved, in many cases, by using electro-cautery or thermal coagulation of tissues and vessels. Graspers and/or dissectors that apply electric current to the cut zone are being used, following by dissection with curved or straight scissors that are electro-cauterizing while performing the cut.
It is very desirable to minimize the number of openings in an endoscopic procedure, for the purpose of reduced pain and scarring to the patient and reduced costs by saving usage of extra cannulas and trocars. This could be achieved by combining grasping, cauterizing and dissecting in one instrument. This reduces the number of openings as there is no longer the need for a stand alone opening for a grasper or a scissor. The advantages are obvious: less openings, less scarring, less pain, less complications and less costs in trocar-cannulas and single-function instruments and surgery time.
Numerous electro-surgical instruments are available in the prior art for sealing and cutting tissue. One such instrument is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,598 (the '598 patent) to Feinberg et al. The instrument of the '598 patent includes forceps having a pair of jaws. The jaws are opened and closed by extending and retracting them into a tube which forces their closure. A power supply for producing electric current includes a pair of feeds with one feed connected to each of the jaws. In operation, the electric current flows from one jaw, through tissue, to the other jaw. A single blade is disposed between the jaws and movable longitudinally to cut the tissue.
Although the instrument of the '598 patent is functional, there remains an opportunity for a surgical apparatus providing a more effective application of electric current and greater tactile response to a surgeon operating the apparatus.